Tied to Chairs
by cavlik97
Summary: AU. Peace regained in Ireland, Skulduggery and co. left to give Valkyrie a normal life. 10 years later, they're kidnapped, along with Alice Edgley, leading Valkyrie to her old life again. Valduggery and Ghanith story!  STORY ON HOLD but will continue soon
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hey! A new story! This is an AU Valduggery/Ghanith post everything that's happening in the series story. I'm still ready Death Bringer so bear with me...! but when Derek Landy adds in all this stuff for his other books, most of it will probably be irrelevant to this story... :) except, I have no idea what the big, final, epic battle thingy should be so I'm just saying "is IT all over?" etc. etc. sorry about the vagueness! But anyway! I hope you like the story!**

Skulduggery Pleasant hated being kidnapped. It really dampened his mood. He hated it even more when people would tie him up...especially to chairs...because it meant he couldn't do any surprising magic and have a quick and heroic getaway. However, when he was forced into these situations with nobody to help him, he liked to think of good times. This wasn't easy, because most good times led to dark, depressing thoughts. For example, if Skulduggery thought about his wife and daughter, he was reminded that they were...well...dead. If he thought about his old friend Gordon, not only was he reminded that Gordon was dead, but Valkyrie Cain was also brought up. Valkyrie was not dead...Skulduggery hoped, at least. She was very much alive as far as he knew. Except...he had a feeling she hated him. But now, while sitting in a dark, dingy room, strapped to a chair and listening to Tanith Low complaining, Skulduggery thought about the last time he saw Valkyrie.

She was on all fours, gasping, her long, black hair falling over her face. She collapsed onto the ground, not strong enough to hold herself up.

'Valkyrie?' Skulduggery whispered. He scolded himself. When had he ever been afraid of her? His mind answered the question for him. _When she's Darquesse_. Skulduggery glanced over at Tanith. Ghastly was kneeling by her side. He looked up and met Skulduggery's eye, nodding. Skulduggery breathed out thankfully. 'Hey,' he said, helping Valkyrie up with his bony arm. 'Tanith's okay.'

'Seriously?' Valkyrie cried, joy lighting up her voice. She looked straight at Skulduggery. 'Is it all over?'

Skulduggery saw the sun rising above the hills. Valkyrie had controlled Darquesse. She hadn't destroyed the world. They'd managed to rid Tanith of remnant. All the dark that had accumulated in Ireland over the past year had been banished. Skulduggery smiled. 'Yeah. It's all over.'

They'd spent the rest of the night partying and getting completely drunk...well, except for Skulduggery of course, who just watched, amused. He drove Valkyrie home, wished her goodnight and laughed as she stumbled back to her house. When he arrived back, Skulduggery was surprised to see Tanith and Ghastly sitting in the shop, very sober. Skulduggery folded his arms. 'Okay. What happened?'

Tanith held up a small bottle. 'Potion,' she said in explanation. She looked weary - and maybe even upset. 'Skul, you know what we have to do.'

'I will once you tell me,' Skulduggery said slowly, shutting the door behind him. Tanith sighed. 'We needed Valkyrie during this war. She was a strong fighter and a good sorceress. But now, maybe we should let her lock the reflection up for a while.'

'She'll never stop asking us for training,' Skulduggery interrupted. Tanith shook her head. 'Skul, we've got to leave. She needs to be an ordinary seventeen year old, looking after her baby sister, going to college and getting a boyfriend who is not a teleporter or a psychotic vampire...or a skeleton...'

Skulduggery's clenched fist did not go unnoticed.

'...We've got to leave Ireland,' Tanith finished. 'We could go to England, America, just anywhere away from here.'

Ghastly looked up at his friend. 'You know it's the right thing to do.'

'I suppose,' Skulduggery said doubtfully. 'What's the plan?'

'You grab anything you need from your house,' Ghastly said. 'I pack up shop and we all meet in Dublin in an hour. The first place Valkyrie will look when she realises we're gone is the Sanctuary. We have to move it. As an Elder, I can probably influence the decision. Skulduggery nodded and the three of them parted ways.

As he made another attempt to rip himself off the chair, Skulduggery remember how worried he was about Valkyrie. He'd asked Fletcher to check up on her. She'd looked everywhere. Skulduggery had started to regret teaching her everything he knew - she'd almost caught them a few times. She looked for the Sanctuary, she broke into Skulduggery's house and Ghastly's shop, she tracked down anyone they'd contacted in the last five years but thankfully, Tanith had spoken to noone. After a year, Valkyrie gave up.

It tore Skulduggery, Tanith and Ghastly apart to see her as withdrawn and depressed as she was for the first year and a half. However, Alice grew older and Valkyrie seemed to be finding happiness in looking after her. Fletcher went off to college in Australia so Skulduggery took matters into his own hands. Tanith, Ghastly and even Valkyrie were oblivious to his annual visits to Haggard. Valkyrie would occasionally summon her reflection - not to take her place but to talk to. Not only that, Valkyrie soon discovered Alice's magical ability and began training her. Skulduggery was pleased with Valkyrie's decisions. When the surge arrived, not long after Tanith, Ghastly and Skulduggery left, Valkyrie chose elemental magic. She also decided to, although discontinuing her magical training, continue teaching herself martial arts and combats.

'Skul?' Ghastly spoke up, breaking Skulduggery out of his thoughts.

'Yeah?' Skulduggery responded.

'I think Scapegrace is coming back.'

'Pray, tell me,' Tanith said bitterly, 'how in the name of hell did _Scapegrace_ manage to kidnap _us_?'

Well...it was Skulduggery's fault to be honest.

They'd all been living in an apartment in central London. Tanith and Ghastly had both retired to bed and Skulduggery took watch. It was a a routinely practice now. Skulduggery switched on the TV and people who knew his skeletal expressions would've been able to tell that he was raising one eyebrow. Cartoons? Nearing midnight? English television needed to sort out time zones. There was a loud crash from outside the apartment and Skulduggery muted the television, cautiously getting to his feet and raising his hands. Another crash...and then the door flew open, Scapegrace standing in the doorway. 'Now, Detective Pleasant. We can do this the easy way or the hard way.'

'Are you really saying that to me?' Skulduggery said incredulously. 'Oh, and it's Mr. Pleasant now. I no longer work as a Detective.'

'Unimportant trivia,' Scapegrace growled. He took out a complicated looking device from his pocket. A large red button was on the top and Scapegrace hovered his thumb over the top of it. 'Let's reevaluate, shall we? You either come with me peacefully, or I press this button and ten, fifteen, maybe twenty other zombies will charge into your old friend, Valkyrie Cain's house.'

Skulduggery froze. He knew Valkyrie would definitely be able to protect herself. So would Alice. But their parents were home. And Valkyrie hadn't done any real fighting in years. What's more, Alice hadn't done any real fighting, well...ever. Skulduggery raised one hand in surrender. 'Okay. Take us.' Inside, he was thinking, _It doesn't matter. This is Scapegrace. We'll kick him into the previous century and just run to America_.

But they didn't. Scapegrace kind of...tied them to chairs.

**A/N: Whattaya think? Valkyrie will most definitely appear properly soon and so will Alice. :) Read and review! :D **


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: Thanks so much for all the positive feedback so... HERE'S CHAPTER 2! **

'Hello, hello, hello,' called Scapegrace cheerily. He strolled into the room to be met with three, identical glares. He smiled. 'What's with the long faces? I've given you the most comfortable accommodation I can afford.'

'Then get a better job!' Tanith snapped. 'We all know that you're nowhere near clever enough to come up with all of this on your own. Who are you working for?'

'That's for me to know,' Scapegrace smirked, 'and you to...not find out.' He nodded to one of his zombie minions. 'Bring her in here. The Cain girl is more than capable of finding her.'

'Valkyrie?' Tanith gasped. 'What the hell...? Don't you _dare_ bring her into this!'

'I think that's for me to decide,' Scapegrace said coolly. He grabbed a smallish figure by the arm and hauled her into the room, tying her arms and then hoisting her up, onto the small, iron pole near the ceiling. When her face was in the light, Skulduggery's gasp got caught in his throat. Out of his peripheral vision, he could see Tanith's astonished stare and Ghastly's mouth, hanging open slightly. The girl, now hanging from the iron pole from her hands, spat at Scapegrace who jumped in disgust. Skulduggery could see several features that made her an individual face but so many he could recognise from Valkyrie as well. The jet black hair, the shining eyes, the high cheek bones and creamy face...the seemingly strong arms...but Skulduggery could tell that his was Alice. Moments after Scapegrace left, Alice glanced at the three mages who were tied to the chairs. 'Is it just me,' she asked, 'or is that guy as thick as a brick?'

'Thicker,' Tanith supplied. Alice whistled. 'Good. Because then he probably has no idea that I'm magic.' She reached up and wrapped her hands around the iron. Skulduggery saw it turn the colour of fire and melt. Alice jumped down before it started dripping and shook the ropes off her wrists. 'Are you the good guys?' she asked cautiously.

'Your sister might've told you about us,' said Ghastly. 'I'm Ghastly Bespoke, that's Tanith Low and he's...'

'Skulduggery Pleasant,' Alice finished. 'Of course.' She glanced over to the door that Scapegrace had locked and hurried over to the other three, freeing them from their bonds. Skulduggery rubbed his wrists. 'Ow. Those shackles need greasing. They're all rusty.'

'So what's the plan, now?' Tanith asked, putting her hands on her hips. Alice shrugged. 'Get out of here?'

Ghastly nodded his head towards a window, high in the corner of the room. Skulduggery grinned. 'Perfect.'

Only ten minutes later, they were standing outside, cowering from the pouring rain. Tanith was shouting over the thunder about how they had to get the hell out before Scapegrace realised they were gone. Alice nodded. 'You guys better drop me back home. I heard Skulduggery can fly. Oh my God...Steph's going to be thrilled to see you guys again!'

'Uh...no,' Skulduggery said. 'I'm going to drop you back at Haggard and you're never going to see us again.'

'Well if you're not coming, you might as well help me get my phone from Scapegrace so I can call Steph,' Alice said, scowling.

'No need,' a voice said from behind them. It made Skulduggery stiffen, Ghastly beam and Tanith's face light up. Alice whirled around. 'Stephanie! How did you find me?'

'Your phone's GPS,' Valkyrie said simply. She eyed Skulduggery but laughed as Tanith hugged her tightly.

'Ugh, you're drenched,' Tanith grinned, pulling Valkyrie under the shelter. 'God, it's good to see you again!' They hugged again. Ghastly just smiled but Valkyrie rolled her eyes, giving him a hug too. 'I need a new coat,' she murmured, making Ghastly chuckle.

'Hey...?' Skulduggery offered lamely. Valkyrie narrowed her eyes and punched him in the arm. He yelped, leaping backwards. Then, Valkyrie hugged him. Skulduggery was surprised but of course, didn't complain, hugging her back.

'Okay, now that you've have your reunions,' Alice said, reminding them that she was still there. 'Steph, can you take me home?'

'No,' Valkyrie said. 'There's absolutely no way Scapegrace could even think of a smart, foolproof way to kidnap someone...especially Skul, Tanith and Ghastly. He's working for someone. Al, I'm going get someone to take you home. I want you to make sure nothing happens to Mum or Dad and I'll keep in touch with text. My spare phone's on my desk. I'll summon my reflection.'

'Steph...' Alice began but Valkyrie held up one hand. 'Don't call me Stephanie anymore. It seems you've been pulled into this world a bit more than I'd hoped. You'll have to call me Valkyrie now unless we're around family.'

'Val, then,' Alice corrected. 'Is...is this way you trained me? In case something like this happened?'

Valkyrie nodded. 'I was straying more towards the non-magic training but since you're an elemental, you had to know the basics of your magic. I heard what Scapegrace said. They've been trying to lure me here.'

'Why?' asked Alice.

'Before she gave up practicing it,' Tanith said, 'your sister was one of the most powerful sorceresses in Ireland.'

Alice's eyes widened. 'You never told me that!' she hissed. 'You only told me that after Gordon died, Skulduggery saved you from some mysterious attacker and you were introduced to the magic world and for like, six years, you trained in elemental magic and necromancy. You brought a couple of details but you never said you were _that _powerful...'

Valkyrie shook her head. 'You didn't need to know.' She pulled her phone out of her pocket and leaned further away from the rain, scrolling through the contacts until she found a name.

'Who are you calling?' Skulduggery asked.

'Texting,' Valkyrie corrected. 'Fletcher. I'm going to ask him to take us to wherever the hell you've hidden the Sanctuary once we get back home. I doubt it'll be easy for you to fly in this weather.'

Skulduggery nodded. 'Thank you for the consideration.'

Valkyrie grinned...a sight Skulduggery and sorely missed in the ten years they'd been apart. A large whoosh startled all of them and Fletcher suddenly stumbled towards them. 'Sorry, Val,' he said with an apologetic smile. 'I figured you might need a way to get back to your place. I uh...tracked Al's GPS. Figured you were with her.'

'You tracked mine, didn't you?' Valkyrie guessed with one raised eyebrow. Fletcher looked sheepish. He reached out and took Alice's hand. Alice grabbed Valkyrie's, Ghastly took Tanith's, Tanith, Skulduggery's and Skulduggery reached out and took Valkyrie's hand in his. Nobody else saw the small smile they exchanged before they vanished from the pouring rain of London.

**A/N: I'm starting to like writing about Alice(: Anyway, read and review! **


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Next chapter(: hope you enjoy(: **

Skulduggery and Ghastly quickly covered their "abnormal" faces with China's facades and they and Tanith pretended to arrive at Valkyrie's doorstep as friends. Meanwhile, Fletcher teleported Valkyrie and Alice to Valkyrie's bedroom, giving them a small smile before making a move to teleport out again.

'Wait,' Valkyrie said, grabbing his arm. 'Fletch...thank you. I really appreciate this.'

'We're friends, aren't we?' Fletcher said, flashing her one of his brilliant grins before disappearing from the room. Valkyrie chuckled, just as Alice quickly reappeared in a fresh set of jeans, a jumper and her hair tied in a ponytail. Valkyrie nodded and reached out to tap the mirror. Her reflection stepped out of it and to Valkyrie's astonishment, smiled. 'You've been extremely busy, lately. You haven't seemed to have time to think about the magical life you used to lead, otherwise you would've talked to me.'

'I admit, life has been hectic but that's not why I need you,' Valkyrie said. 'I have to go out. And Mum and Dad can't know. Sanctuary business. You and Alice need to guard the house. Alice knows that Fletcher is just a phone call away and so am I...but Scapegrace may come after her again.'

The reflection nodded in understanding. 'What do you want me to do?'

'Wait until I leave through the window,' Valkyrie instructed. A soft knock on her door caused her to look up. She shook her long, silky, black hair away from her face to see Tanith. 'Ready?' she asked. Valkyrie nodded. 'Meet you by the Bentley in a minute.' She turned back to Alice. 'From now on, do not let Mum and Dad tell any stranger your real name. You are Tyrant Luminess to anyone in this world and that is all. Understood?'

Alice swallowed. 'Yes. Is my true name in any way as dangerous as you keep saying yours is?'

'Not as far as I know,' Valkyrie said reassuringly. 'But it's not like I was going to let anyone control my baby sister.' She kissed Alice on the head and swung one leg out of the window. 'Wow, I haven't done this in ages,' she said with a whistle.

'Don't tell me your college-age joints can't handle it,' Alice teased with a grin. Valkyrie rolled her eyes, swinging her other leg over the edge and pushing herself of the windowsill, falling for only a second down to the ground. She hadn't realised how dark it was and splayed out her hands. The air rippled and slowed and she landed slowly and carefully on the wet grass. Rain plummeted down from the sky and she was yanked under the cover of a very familiar car. 'Hey Skulduggery,' she said breathlessly, smiling as she glanced around the car and got into the passenger seat. 'I haven't been in this car in...how long has it been?'

'Ten years,' Skulduggery said immediately, starting the engine. 'Not that anyone's counting.'

'You're making me feel old,' Valkyrie grumbled.

'And you're saying this in front of a four hundred year old skeleton.'

'And you're saying that when Tanith is only around 90 and you were born eight years before her.'

'We don't need to go into the unimportant details.'

Valkyrie grinned. She leaned back in the leather seats, gazing out at the rainy streets of Haggard as Skulduggery sped towards Ghastly's shop. She fiddled with the zip of her jacket. 'So...how's Ghastly and Tanith's relationship?'

Skulduggery snorted. 'Huh. Ghastly's too chicken to propose and Tanith's well...'

'Tanith,' Valkyrie finished. 'So no new developments.'

'Not when you think about it.'

They arrived at the shop and slipped inside. Everything inside was coated in layers of dust, making Valkyrie cough. She put a sleeve over her mouth. 'Ghastly, isn't there some kind of spell that you can use to clean this place up.'

'It's not likely that we'll be staying,' Ghastly explained. 'So I don't really see the point. Now, Skulduggery, I want you to promise not to kill anyone in the next hour.'

Valkyrie recognised puzzlement on Skulduggery's face but it turned to bitter anger when Tanith brought China Sorrows out of the back room. Valkyrie clenched her fist. She still hadn't gotten over her anger with China. 'What's she here for?' Valkyrie asked through gritted teeth.

'To help us,' said Tanith. 'From looking through some recent files sent from Ravel to Ghastly, it seems as though there is a spy in the Sanctuary. We cannot alert every agent, operative and member of the Sanctuary that we are back in business, just the inner circle who can trust. So, China, has come up with a much more ingenious disguise which is more effect that a facade.'

'Do tell,' Skulduggery said tonelessly. China ignored his lack of enthusiasm and nodded to Tanith. She stepped forward and China placed a hand on her collarbone. She was covered in a whirlwind of mist for a couple of seconds, but then the mist floated into the air and Tanith reemerged...looking like a complete stranger. Her face had changed entirely and her curly, blonde locks had been replaced with shoulder length brown waves.

'What just happened?' Valkyrie gasped.

'The symbols that I etch into your skin work to rearrange your genetic DNA for the couple of seconds you are in the mist,' said China matter of factly. 'You emerge looking completely different. All you have to do is tap the symbols again afterwards, the mist will take you and you'll come out looking like yourself again. Oh, and Valkyrie? I made you and Tanith sisters.'

Valkyrie beamed, hurrying forwards. China placed her hand again on Valkyrie's collarbone and the mist engulfed her. When she stepped out again, she glanced at herself in the mirror and laughed. Her smile was extremely similar to Tanith's and her hair was the exact same shade but a different length. You could tell they were sisters...but also that they weren't identical. It was the same difference that separated Alice and Valkyrie's looks from each other. By the time Valkyrie had finished admiring her new look, Ghastly's disguise had also been set up. His scars had vanished so you couldn't recognise his face. He also had floppy, blonde hair that made Valkyrie and Tanith burst out laughing and even make Skulduggery smile. China glanced at Skulduggery. 'You _can _stick to the facade if you want. I made your disguise carefully. You look exactly like you did before you were a skeleton. Nobody would be able to recognise you, thought...except Ravel. Your disguise was the easiest because all I had to do was recreate your muscle and tissue structures... your bone placement could stay the same.'

'I'll take the disguise,' Skulduggery said quietly. China placed an apprehensive hand on Skulduggery's collar bone and moments later, the mist swept around him. When it curled away, Ghastly's eyes widened. 'Dear God!' he gasped. 'You look...'

'What? What is it?' Valkyrie asked, trying to figure out what was so shocking about Skulduggery's disguise apart from the fact that he was alarmingly good looking.

'That's exactly what he looked like when he was human,' Ghastly said, blinking. Tanith raised an eyebrow. 'I see why Ayla married you.'

Ghastly looked unimpressed and Tanith chuckled. Skulduggery gazed at his reflection. 'Well,' he said with a deep breath. 'I haven't seen this face in a while.'

'Where should we plan things out?' Tanith asked. 'Get the old gang back together, work secretly under the Sanctuary's noses...we need, I don't know, a headquarters.'

'How about Gordon's house?' Valkyrie suggested. 'I own it and Alice and I go there all the time to try and find books on Adept magic.'

'Adept...?' Tanith asked, confused.

'She teaches herself Adept and I teach her Elemental,' Valkyrie explained. 'I told her that'll make it hard when it comes to the Surge but she said she wants to learn more than one magic and I refuse to teach her Necromancy.'

'Gordon's house it is,' Ghastly decided.

**A/N: You know what to do, read and review(: **


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: Yayay! I love reviews, they make me smile(: ...so here is your new chapter...**

Valkyrie woke on Gordon's couch the following morning, sunlight streaming through the gaps in the curtains. She blinked groggily and stretched out her arms, swinging her legs over to the floor. She saw Skulduggery approach her with a mug of steaming coffee in his bony hand. He smiled. 'Morning,' he greeted. Valkyrie eyed the coffee and grabbed it. 'Sorry,' she said after taking a gulp. 'I'm desperate.'

'So I can see,' Skulduggery said in amusement, 'and seeing as I can't drink coffee unless under my disguise, it was actually meant for you.'

'I appreciate it,' responded Valkyrie. 'So what's the plan for today?'

'Relax,' Tanith announced, coming down the stairs. 'Ghastly warned Ravel last night under his disguise, Alice and your parents are safe, Fletcher's keeping an eye on them, we have suitable disguises...so, today's we're going to do something we never had the sense to do ten years ago. We're having a day off.'

'Hey, nobody's complaining,' Valkyrie pointed out.

'And you're absolutely right,' Ghastly said affectionately, kissing his girlfriend on the cheek. 'It's a good idea.'

Valkyrie placed her coffee on the table in front of her and leaned back into the plush leather of the couch. She had no idea how much she'd missed the magic world. It had become her life after Gordon's funeral. Skulduggery - her best friend. Tanith - her sister. Ghastly - her older brother. It was a tight knit family...and it was heart breaking when they left.

'Val...your phone,' Tanith said and Valkyrie snapped out of her daydream, reaching over to get her phone from her jacket pocket. She clicked the big green button and pressed it to her ear. 'Hello?'

'Steph...I mean, Val, it's Alice.'

'Al? What's going on? Are you okay?'

Alice hesitated. 'I'm fine. But...your reflection...'

'Oh God.' Valkyrie held her breath. 'What did it do now?'

'It did magic.'

'What?' Valkyrie nearly toppled off the couch in shock and Skulduggery, Tanith and Ghastly were immediately on the alert.

'Do you want us to go over?' Ghastly mouthed. Valkyrie held up a hand. 'Wait,' she mouthed back. 'Alice...are you sure?'

'Am I sure?' Alice cried, almost sounding hysterical. 'Do you think I won't notice when a flame goes shooting out of her bloody palms?'

'Okay, okay,' Valkyrie said quickly. 'I'll be there in a sec. Maybe it'll be safer if I don't use this thing again. I might just have to tell Mum and Dad I'm going college hunting.'

'Mum will be thrilled,' Alice said thoughtfully. 'And Dad will probably be very apprehensive.'

'Be there in a minute,' Valkyrie promised, hanging up. She buried her face in her hands. 'I have to go,' she mumbled. 'Tanith, I'll be back for a relaxing day in an hour, I promise. I just need to grab some books from the study and I'll be off...' She hurried to her feet, racing towards the study. Tanith watched as Skulduggery's gaze drifted to her and sighed. 'Skul, honestly. If you don't tell her about your feelings, I swear to God, I'll tell her myself.'

'Don't you dare,' Skulduggery threatened.

'I will, and don't think I can't take you in a fight,' Tanith said, narrowing her eyes. 'Come on Ghastly. Back me up, here.'

'You're my girlfriend, he's my best friend,' Ghastly said. 'I'm not getting involved.'

'Skulduggery, it's obvious you love her,' Tanith said heavily. 'She may only stay with us for this one case before deciding to go to college and leave magic behind for good. You might lose her once and for all...so tell her, while you still have the chance! Don't make the mistake Ghastly and I made...'

'Tanith, I'm a skeleton,' Skulduggery said bluntly. 'I'm a mass murderer. I'm a cold-hearted, dry, detective who has killed so many people, he can't even remember his first victim. She could never love that.'

'Yet she cared and stuck around you and was your best friend for _six years_!' Tanith exclaimed. 'Even after she found out you were Lord Vile! She forgave you because you helped her through so much. She, like us, saw through the skeleton. She looked past the things you did before she met you and cared for you were when you met! How can you say she won't love you?'

'She...she just won't,' Skulduggery murmured.

'That,' Ghastly said, 'is the lamest excuse I have ever heard. Skul. Tell her, dammit.'

'I _can't_,' Skulduggery hissed. 'Everyone I've ever taken the time to love ends up,' He gestured to Ghastly, 'turned into stone,' He gestured to Tanith, 'or possessed or slashed to pieces by the Death Bringer...or dead. Like Ayla and Victoria.'

'Ayla and Victoria were a long time ago,' Tanith said softly, 'and it wasn't your fault.'

Skulduggery didn't reply.

From the staircase, Valkyrie swallowed and pressed the leather back book to her chest before slipping out of the back door and hurrying into the Bentley, trying her hardest not to dwell on what she'd just heard.

**A/N: Aaand you know what to do, read and reviewwww! :)**


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